


Soft Spoken

by littlemisskiara



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Alpha Dean, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Alternate Universe - Werecreatures, F/M, Human Castiel, Hurt/Comfort, I actually can't remember if Gabriel was supposed to be with Sam or Michael and Lucifer in this fic, Knotting, M/M, Mating, Mating Cycles/In Heat, Protective Dean Winchester, Selectively Mute Castiel, so i took off the Sabriel tag because I REALLY CAN'T REMEMBER GAWH, weretiguar dean winchester
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-07-06
Updated: 2016-08-22
Packaged: 2018-02-07 14:53:05
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Rape/Non-Con, Underage
Chapters: 20
Words: 15,831
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1903182
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/littlemisskiara/pseuds/littlemisskiara
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Castiel's a human sold into the Garrison Cult.</p><p>Dean's an alpha were born and raised in the mountain village.</p><p>And alphas don't take kindly to anyone harming their mates.</p><p> </p><p>*Abandoned*</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> So, I'm sorry, but this is set in my own world which I write all my own stories in and I use a different form of gender/sex pronouns for my characters. A person's gender is based off of their sex (whether they can sire or bear young) and their nature (dominant or submissive). I had an entire list up here earlier but the only ones you really need are basically the following and He/She:
> 
> SUBMISSIVE SIRES:  
> Sadəsikari  
> Ne; Ne laughed; I called nem; nir eyes gleam; that is nirs; ne likes nemself.
> 
> GENDERLESS:  
> Ephephile  
> It; it laughed; I called it; its eyes gleam; that is its; it likes itself
> 
> UNKNOWN GENDER:  
> Caomhnaigh  
> Xe; Xe laughed; I called xem; xyr eyes gleam; that is xyrs; xe likes xemself.
> 
> If I have a portion with a different gender-pronoun I will add it to that chapter's notes.

 

**Castiel**

 

Mother Naomi and Father Metatron were gone for the month. Went off to the Compound in the North for a trade and left Brother Raphael in charge of this one.

The Compound's resident black-haired sadəsikari, Castiel knew ne only had a few hours yet till perimeter and store checks were complete and the elder males would be coming for nem.

They _always_ came for nem.

Ne'd watched Raphael take the A twins, Alastair and Azazel, along with Uriel and Zachariah along with him for the checks. The more hands, the faster it'll be done and they can use those hands for less . . . savory antics. They've left the young male and the Compound's only three young females to enjoy themselves.

Castiel knew ne had to make the most of nir time.

Heading down to the creek by the northern wall ne bathes in the luxurious sunshine. This Spring is new and has been hit by numerous showers already but today is crystal clear and humid.

The creek's only about four feet wide and less than a foot deep and the water is cool and sweet, flowing down from the slowly-melting-ice-capped-mountain-tops and invading their Compound as a welcome visitor. Between the creek and the Northern Wall is about twelve feet of warm soft grass, with an allowance of the grass' lazy flower cousins asleep in their bed.

Laying down gently, paying special mind to each bruise and scrape and cut a-plethora upon nir body, Castiel lays down in the decadent grassland.

Breathing in-out-in-out in a mantra of calm, ne drifts silently with the clouds till a soft tickle not-unlike-grass but _not-grass_ tickles nir nose and nir eyes drift open once again.

Wide, stormy blue eyes are staring at nem.

A huge, brilliant smile lights up the sadəsikari's face.

A small blond fuzzy lop sits no more than an inch in front of nir face. One of its ears is flopped forward and twitches against nir nose in time with its triangular button nose's curious sniffs.

“I did not know bunnies could have blue eyes.” Castiel murmurs. “Not that I have seen many of you little ones.” Ne adds, tentatively reaching up a hand, gauging the ball of fur's reaction. Other than a slight twitch of the ears, xe doesn't react in the slightest, just anticipates the petting that awaits xyr. And what a petting it is.

“I haven't spoken in months . . .” The human murmurs and the bunny's ears twitch as if truly listening, eyes intent upon Castiel's. “Humans are . . . frightening.” Ne ends with shame clouding his eyes, a glance across the creek, watching for any movement, before returning nir attention to nir rabbit friend. With a short hop forward the bunny's wet nose is twitching against nir own and ne's giggling like a schoolchild with a candydrop. “Thank you, little blond.”

“Chatte!” A voice of booming magnitude that Castiel would recognize a thousand miles away, that would put terror in nir heart until ne would die from an attack, wounds the day. Slashing into nir tedious happiness with a machete and causing that shame in the sadəsikari's eyes to flash into dread.

“Goodbye, little one.” The human's voice is barely above a murmur, sadness and fear infused within it. “I hope to see you again.” 

 

 

**Samandriel**

 

Samandriel went back to the human compound everyday.

Some days the black-haired sadəsikari – and he knew the human was what the humans called a sadəsikari, he could smell it, and if the male ever was turned ne'd present as Omega like himself – was there and other days ne wasn't. Some days ne would be very talkative and active to the bunnywere and others ne'd just pet him and pet him and pet him in a therapeutic manner over and over lulling him with ease. And some days Samandriel could see bruises on nir skin, flowering or disappearing or just stagnant for days. Each time he would see a bruise he would brush closer, play more, be the cutest little bunny he could be to the human whom he could see just wanted a companion whom wouldn't slap nem or gods know what else – and believe him he could smell what else and it turned his stomach to mud.

Then the bunnywere would return to his own home, a village hidden up in the mountains miles to the north of the humans'. And after a thorough bathing he would tell his kin about the humans, their food supply, how many there were, everything necessary for his report.

And every day he would report that no, they hadn't discovered them yet.

This went on for three months.

On again off again seeing the human. On again off again seeing the bruises.

Every time Samandriel returns to the village after seeing the bruises upon the human's skin he goes to his closest familial alpha and curls up in them, bathing in their calming pheromones and soaking in the fact that _they would never hurt me_.

_But ne's being hurt._

The bunnywere can't help thinking morosely, every night before he goes to bed, calm and collected and _safe_ with his kin. But ne's _not_.

And that's not alright with him.

_I'll do something. I_ will _._


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, I changed Dean from a werewolf to a weretiguar (tiger/jaguar) for multiple reasons which will be dealt with later. :)

**Castiel**

 

Alastair was the worst of them. When he came to call on nem he wouldn't stop for hours, passing the c _hatte_ around like cattel. Hurting nem and pushing nem till ne was pulled under the blackness again, passing out with hips slamming against nem hard and fast or slow and steady with bruising fingers, and with thick or long or short or stout shafts pulling and splitting and _hurting_ within him. The variety within such a small group, such a meager Compound, surprised the sadəsikari at first but now nothing could ever surprise nem again.

Ne's felt and seen every mix-and-match a male could offer.

Could _force_.

But Alastair was energetic this morning. He came a-knocking at dawn, forced nem from nir bed with new bruises on nir arms and a cast of seedy Angels bent on _keeping the peace_. Taking out their frustrations, their anger and tension and their build-up out on the resident hole so that they don't blow up on their fellow Angels and cause an unnecessary ruckus.

No. They're simply going to turn nem black and blue from dawn till dusk.

Day in, day out.

Since ne turned eight years old.

That was over seven years ago.

 

 

**Samandriel**

 

They don't hunt close to the Compound, ever, but today something feels . . . wrong. More wrong than Samandriel's ever felt. He awoke that morning panting, ears sprouted tall and perked in fear, eyes wide and frightened. When he'd emerged from his burrow he went straight to the Old Oak, where the young meet before a hunt-and-gather.

Standing among his kin, he felt out of place. Out of body – in either human or bunny – and antsy.

 _Something's wrong._ His body warns again.

Just as the hunters turned to the East, going to hunt elk in the meadows, Samandriel squeaks, gets their attention. He may be a gatherer today, but he can still persuade a change in scenery.

“There are bear and boar near The Compound. I wish to make pork for breakfast this week's end.” His voice is clear and carries, catching the alpha hunters' attentions. After a short deliberation, they take his advice and move South instead.

_Please let everything be alright._

 

 

**Dean**

 

The young weres were out hunting. Well, they were supposed to be hunting. Does it count if they're just wrestling bears? Maybe that's considered playing with their food.

The carcass of a bear is draped over Benny's right shoulder – “Is that considered cannibalism?” “Watch it, Gabe.” – when the scent hits Dean. Through the blanket of trees, the dark, salty, bitter and _metallic_ scent of blood and distress pervades. But more than that, what slams into him like a sledge is the scent base of warmth  and home and . . . and mate.

Wounded and distressed _ mate _ .

Dean's entire world boils down to that scent, infusing his veins and boiling his blood and capturing a cacophony of sound released in the form of a roar. The alpha's eyes sparking red as he shifts part-way, ignoring the calls of his kin and surging through the brush.

_ Mateprotectmatehurtprotectprotectprotect _

Logical thought is gone and instinct has taken over as their hunting grounds get further and further behind him, the scent of his mate's blood getting thicker and richer and denser the closer to the human's Compound he gets and  _ he doesn't care _ .

Living and breathing in a nice, sweet community, Dean'd only heard horror stories of the outside world. But the scene he slams into at the forest's edge has reality punching him in the gut.

His vision is red.

Blood is  _ pounding _ in his ears and his eyes are seeing red red  _ red _ .

Fury.

_ Murderous _ . That's the emotion that surfaces and Dean doesn't even attempt to tamp it down. Let's it boil and overflow and ****_ explode _ .

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't really like this but I do at the same time


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The word Ägardravec can be found in this and foreseeable chapters but their pronouns are the same as what we use for "males".
> 
> DOMINANT SIRES:  
> Ägardravec  
> He; He laughed; I called him; his eyes gleam; that is his; he likes himself
> 
> So no confusion

**Castiel**

 

Castiel's been stuffed, pounded, beaten asleep and awake and between life and death countless times, but today is different. Alastair'd led them to the clearing just outside the North Wall, handing nem over before strolling back to the Compound, awaiting his turn with a skip in his step and a whistle on his tongue. Ne can see the creek just sneaking around the bend in the trees till it's flowing freely through the hole in the wall, where it will soon bypass the grassland that has become the sadəsikari's favorite place in a very short time. It's serene and tranquil and safe.

This place here is not nir favorite place.

It's hell.

Nir knees and hands ache and scrape and bleed into the grass and dirt. Nir mouth and after are stretched thrice their capacity, the skin burning and slicing where the Angels' cocksbreach nem. Too many.

Nir holes are slick with spit and blood and cum, nir cheeks drenched in tears and body positively _leaking_. Sweat of every origin swamping nir skin.

Weak arms wobble but the young male's hefted up by imprisoning arms wrapped tight round nir waist, hands bruising in nir hair and hips and cock. Nir trying hard just to stay awake. The pain is so intense and full and _real_ that nir petite body is overwhelmed with it.

Before the sadəsikari can welcome the black empty a commotion disturbs the Angels' play. Glancing to the side nothing short of a rampaging bull is tearing from the trees. Attacking in vicious clarity, an ägardravec to put nirs to shame.

Red eyes.

Red fangs as they tear out Zachariah's throat.

Searing emptiness in every orifice. _Thank you_. As the blackness overwhelms the red.

 

 

**Dean**

 

There is a civil and there is a wild nature to every were. Every day is a battle for dominance between the two, a tedious agreement.

There is no civility left in the alpha now.

Pure, animal rage won the second he reached the source of his mate's scent.

_ Protectprotectprotect. _

_ Killkillkillkillkill. _

Slaughter would be a more appropriate word for the damage the tiguarwere commits.

Seeing his mate, on nir hands and knees, blood overflowing from tip to toe and being rutted into an overstuffed body reduced to nothing but sobs and fat, salty tears streaming freely and screaming unendingly around a conglomeration of rotten flesh . . . He loses himself to the red. The two  ägar dravec overfilling his sadəsikari's mouth, splitting nir lips and bathing nir tongue in  _ rot _ , are the first to the sacrifice, claws shredding throats as panic ensues. One beneath nir flushed form, cock stuffed into the black-haired human's hollow, teeth clamped down on a perk rosebud, stops breathing in fear under the sudden bath of blood. 

Adjoined in his mate's slit, a plump  ägar dravec's invasion ceases, abrupt and terrified, the prop once held tight in his hand, insisting entrance beside himself in the already thrice overfilled hole, plummets. A second prop, blood coating thick and oozing, is peaking from between the neighbored cocks, so at home in the stolen warmth. 

Demanding ne fit four inside a place that barely fits  _ one _ .

Only succeeding in ripping and tearing and  _ bleeding _ .

The delicate body they inhabit shaking uncontrollably from their intrusions.

Exsanguination is the only befitting punishment Dean's tiguar can conjure.

The last and final of his human prey – having been caught and interrupted stroking himself with one hand to the sight of his mate being pounded and violated and controlled, as with the other he dealt slaps while his human teeth bit and severed, leaving red trails of freshly broken skin in his wake, red and puckering – attempted to flee the were's ambush.

All except the first are forced to watch and to feel and to fear beneath the were's wrath, incapable of escape. 

Only a streak of flesh and a flash of fangs, claws, each a prey under the striking were's rage, torn away from the sanctuary of the sadəsikari's body. Thrown into the trees and pummeled, torn apart, shredded to the symphony of Dean's snarls and thunders. 

He's lost to the wild now, no more than fur and tail and daggers as he  _ eradicates _ .


	4. Chapter 4

** Gabriel **

 

Dean rushes off in a blaze, scent thickening with rage before he veritably disapparates, startling his packmates. Sam and Gabriel exchange a look, Benny and them dropping their haul before following close behind their lead alpha.

Not slowing till they enter upon the carnage . . . just as Dean tear's off an unknown ägardravec's head. The second killed, judging by the larynx and throat overflowing from another's neck, fallen sideways before the prone form of a _desolated_ sadəsikari.

Dean's intended rescue, undoubtedly.

With a bounce like a ball, the frenzied alpha kicks the playful flesh into the brush as the remaining humans either flee or petrify. The escapist doesn't get far before Dean's returned his attention to them all, a vicious smile turning his lips, bloodthirsty and excited at the prospect of ripping their flesh from bone.

Only wild alive in the were now.

While Sammy and Benny's civilities dissipates, capturing the escapee, turning violent alongside their kin, the smallest alpha's attentions set upon the endangered sub. 

Unconscious and, and  _ dying _ .

_ No _ . 

Nir body is pliant and lifeless and gushing blood from _too many places._ The were is hauling nir up before he can take stock of the entire situation, his fox remembering how the wolves rescued him and doing the same because ne needs a  healer. _Stat_.

The submissive alpha doesn't recite the carnage as he flees back into the forest, allowing his fox in control just enough to guide him, clutching tight the infinitesimally smaller human to his chest. He's listening intently to the labored breaths, fear infusing his veins when the sadəsikari's breathing shallows, nearly imperceptible, pace of feet slapping ground picking up anxiously, verily flying through the wood.

When the scents of woodfire and roasting meats assaults his senses Gabriel knows he's close, but even the wonderful scents cannot overpower the scent of the human cradled in his arms. Nir scent is thick and permeates the air in reds and blues and purples, terror and resignation and pain, and to a lesser extent _relief_.

Suffering at its sweetest.

Upon reach of the forest's edge, the barrier between nature and kin, alarm barks blare from the were's lips in instinct, repeatedly and urgently, panic infusing the sound.

“Ellen!” Gabriel screeches, his voice going staticky without remorse, thoughts focused on the body quickly chilling in his arms. Shaking and not as strong as the other alphas, he makes up for it with determination; carrying the black-haired victim, not much smaller than he, an adrenaline induced miracle. The pack members herd in a rush to him, the healer there in a flash, Ellen's face calm and collected, eyes glinted with fury and questions left for later. Now she needs to pay only her attentions to the fox and the sadəsikari limp in his hold.

Falling to his knees at the sight of the pack-reinforcements, panting as he lays nem down, Gabriel checks nir pulse. Thready, unstable.

_No_.

Gabriel relays what happened in a quick, warrior staccato.

Dean fled the hunt.

Blood on the wind – thick with fear and distress.

The tiguar's rage a dance of severance and mortality.

The massacre.

All culminating in Gabriel's theft and ending there, with the healer  **** working feverishly over the sadəsikari's wounds.


	5. Chapter 5

** Ellen **

 

A healer her entire life, Ellen's never before been privy to such pain and suffering as that of the sadəsikari's before her now. Gabriel's recountings of the damage dealt nem – of which he witnessed only very briefly before Dean'd decimated the  ägar dravecs responsible – are heinous, nauseating, and vile. The visions and proof turning the weredoe's stomach to mud as she wipes away blood, finding new sources and old, looking for the worst of them and still finding more and more and more.

_ Damnit _ !

She wants to scream as she commands Gabriel to put pressure on a bite wound on the human's back, steadily bleeding the entire journey from epicenter to village.

Streams of bodily fluids both foreign and native are leaking from every hole of nir body and Ellen is getting angrier and angrier with every swipe of salve, every pant of breath, every whimper of pain from nem.

If she were a stag, with antlers tall and proud and  _ strong _ she wouldn't hesitate to pierce the other humans' hearts. Ram them up and into the forest wall, tear their flesh and stomp their chests with hooves and bones of great steel. 

But she doesn't have to. Her son will do it and he'll do it with passion, with  _ glee _ because there's no doubt in her mind that they harmed what should  _ never _ be harmed. 

_ Slaughter them, Dean. _

 

 

** Samandriel **

 

_I knew something was wrong. I knew it I knew it I knew it!_

Samandriel's mind is on repeat, his body on autopilot, hollow and lifeless as he watches Gabriel burst through the treeline, his human-friend unconscious in his arms.

No, not just unconscious . . . _dying._

_I knew something was wrong._

He barely registers the departures of Adam, Lucifer, and Michael – the alphas intent on finding the source of the wreckage.

The bunny's mind is narrowed onto this moment, this sight as Ellen administers pain-suppressants and healing salves, fingers flying and so confident he's never once doubted her before. This isn't before. And he's starting to doubt.

_I knew something was wrong._

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry, this is SUPER short for a reason. We'll have more Ellen later . . . most likely.


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i warn you that this might be shit

** Dean **

 

Dean's rampage doesn't end until there are four sets of restraining paws upon him. Bars holding him prisoner as he stands proud over a pile of what was once a human body, now nothing more than ground up flesh and broken bone, pink-ish cream-color and brilliant reds enough to feast for days.

The other four had been just as lucky.

Limbs hang from branches, disjoined eyes and phalanges litter the forest floor and hair blankets around their feet like feathers molted fresh from a bird, split and bloodied at the ends from where the tiguar tore the strands from doomed heads.

Under his body is a concaved skull, partially-morphed foot deep inside a brain now nothing more than the mush you'd feed a babe. Pieces of skull fall away and into the fatal wound – well, the kill shot. That particular  ägar dravec would have died anyway, having been halved at the waist, it was only a matter of time. The rotten flesh with which the ****_ unfortunate _ ägar dravecs had used to trespass upon his mate had been skinned, pulses still beating, and bled-dry from the most of them. The circumcized sheaths shoved down their throats before their screaming ceased. 

Music to the alpha's ears, while it lasted.

But now Dean is being tugged away, restrained, pulled back from the wild by the comforting scents of his brothers. Sammy and Benny are still with him, but now so are Adam and Michael, holding him and stroking his sides, petting his hair and calming him, lulling the civility back into place. They make a point of allowing him to bask in the carnage he dealt, let him see and understand that _ yes, they're dead. You did well, it's over. _ Lucifer is walking through and between the numerous dead, an appreciative humm in his throat, wading through the swamp of sanguis, dislodging pieces here and there so that he can see the full masterpiece of the were's work. Once done he turns his attentions to the young maestro.

“Gabriel got the sadəsikari to the village safely,” Dean's full attention snaps onto Lucifer, uncaring for the cooling life at his feet at the mention of his mate, absorbing every word and listening  _ intently _ . “Ne's in Ellen's care.”

A snarl is the only answer the wolf gets before Dean's shifted and gone again.

 

 

** Castiel **

 

Screaming doesn't cut it. Doesn't even make a dent in the sound barrier compared to the throat skinning, soul-piercing outcry that erupts from Castiel's mouth when ne awakens to hands upon nem. Soft, gentle, foreign hands, but _hands_ none the less.

Thrashing; attacking the ägardravec from nir memories: the recent and the past. 

Zachariah, Azazel, Uriel, Bartholomew, Christian.

The meadow-blooders. The ones who took too much and went too far and, and . . . _I should have died_. Is the first coherent thought in nir mind. Not a thought that calms, rationalizes, nor awakens nem to the reality of _safe_. But a thought that fans the flames of _fight._

Fear antagonized by the recognition of death.

Castiel had – for the longest time – thought that when ne'd see the cloak and scythe ne'd welcome Death, but now, having been at its doorstep, all ne can think, see, is red eyes, red fangs and ne wants to stay, live, run from Death and kick at the gates.

But the tar of nir memories are toxin, pulling nem down into the muck, feet caught in the binder and being dragged down by flesh. Drowning in sanguen and seed, each time ne opens up to take a breath, to fight at the rope and reach flight, another gust lets out, till its dizzy and its suffocating, involuntary et _immortal_.

 

 

 

** Ellen **

 

When the sadəsikari awakes a few hours after Gabriel's rescue of the poor-babe, Ellen could swear nir screams reach the atmosphere and reverberate back through the surf into the sea's darkest depths.

Ne's thrashing and terrified _. ._. ne's also, quite . . . _helpless_.

_ Where is Dean?  _

The arms and legs kicking and pushing and fighting against the weres are weak, an effortless task to combat their wailing, but they don't. Using force against such a muscle-deficient, malnourished, tortured _cub_ would be detrimental; counter-productive. Ellen calls them off, tells her helpers to stand-down, but to watch nem raptly, take-in nir actions, gauge them and map them and then focus on helping from afar. The doe – and really every one else in the village – knows without a doubt that they cannot help nem like this. They can revive nem and keep nem physically alive, but everything else, that's the responsibility of a certain tiguar whose _late_.


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'll have the next few chapters up soon, the next 3 just need to be edited. :)

** Dean **

 

Dean is running, brothers on his tail, deserting the massacre for the pursuing purgers; so intent on returning to his mate. Lifeblood soaking skin, a red mask seeping panic. A heady perfume, the lingering scents of the dead invigorating the wild, empowering him with a reverent air. He's only half reground when he receives the screams.

A banshee's wail more powerful than Death.

_Protectprotectprotect_

Sound and sight narrow to pinprick, his beloved  sadəsikari the only thought in the tiguar's mind.

_ Fastermateprotectfaster _

As the trees wane his kin appear as ghosts in his peripheral. Chasing the sound and scent of relief and fear and blood and seed, dulled butgibbously heavy and thick. An encore of bared fangs and slicing nettles answers as from anima to animal the wildling laments his short career as executioner. Desiring the reanimation of the decedents and the joining of them to the side of Tityos, a punishment bereft. The cooling wine on his hands not enough as the decadent scent ebbs too soon. Yearning to see again the light slacken from their eyes, to harken their delicious screams and pleas for mercy more succinctly and savorously than he'd had the pleasure of before.

None now can be done.

The hospice comes upon him like a landslide, the scent a crash and the sound a flood. With a roar in reply the tiguar barrels through the entry, all cardinal spheres and keen sceptres as he comes face to face with cyanide eyes. Beacons clearer than the second star, the only lanterns gleaming through the wild's sanguine haze.

Those crystal eyes pop as his mate's wails die off. And with a sudden inhalation the sound blips, ending with a quiver of lips and a widening of eyes and tears sprouting and unadulterated  _ terror _ upon his mate's face. Scent twisting and souring as despair grips nem.

 

 

**Castiel**

 

A ruckus at the entry has the sadəsikari turned banshee's attention wrenched round with a snap and a mouthful _shut._ Through the openway the impetuous arrival of an incarnadine sire leaves nem catatonic, more tears spilling over as nir body trembles.

Ne had believed before the day that ne'd seen the most terrifying sires feasible.

An erroneous belief.

This sire was bloodied and strong, thick with muscle and long of dagger, tan and dark and red.

Lips aquiver, Castiel's body curls in upon itself, tears delugetory as ne swallows nir sobs.

_Better the devil you know than the devil you don't._ This devil ne doesn't know, and that strickens nem more than anything.

 

 

 

**Dean**

 

The rank of petrifactionis paralyzing, snapping the dazéd tiguar rapidly from his blood-raged smog; awareness dropping like acid on his tongue, sick filling his gut at what he must appear to be in front of his terrorized mate. Putting his hands up in a placating gesture, the penitentwere falls to his knees in supplication.

From the corner of his eye Dean witnesses Ellen and her allaita* bow out, allowing the alpha alone with his newly found mate in a bid to bond and to tackle the delicate task of calming nem.

_Mate_. The word won't stop racing through his mind as he catches eyes with his  sadəsikari again.

_matematemateprotectprotectprotect_

“Hello,” Dean endeavours; voice soothing, gentle as its autogenetic dominance is forfeited, palms up-ended in surrender and knees falling to ground in supplication. The wounded's silence perseveres – its end out-of-sight – as those celestials anchor the tiguar's spring gaze upon frozen human limbs dotted with wales and swells; a perfect split in those dry petals has Dean's wild rearing back its head in a vengeant encore. The timorous babe's tears pour rapidly like a river undammed, that bottom lip wobbling and body trembling in fear. Body still crooked into a protective ball.

Ne's gaze refuses to let the were out of his sights, drowned skies intent.

“I'm Dean.” The tiguar eventually extends. His voice is subdued as he's forces his body to laze; for vengeance to take a backseat for a time.

The sadəsikari doesn't return his words. Doesn't even entertain the thought.

“I won't hurt you.” He recites lamely, all alpha strength and confidence gone, left only protective and loving instincts as he gently shuffles forward. Proffering his hand as if to a skittish wild whom one yearns to cradle and carry home and feed and love and nurture and tend to.To _care for._ And that's _exactly_ what he wants. 

He craves to cosset and enfold his mate in his warmth, his fur, his tail, his  _ purr _ and his  _ scent _ . Claim him and protect him from saints and monsters alike, rip open the chests and divest the tails and claws of  _ any _ unfortunate enough to choose  _ his mate _ as target. If he could bathe and drown them all in their own blood as he exhumes of them their inner workings with precision and evisceration; he'd punish them all in a heartbeat. The thought of taking up the mantle of executioner again bringing a weight of anticipation into his heart and lungs because  _ soon _ he'll push _ them all _ through Death's door. He can feel it, the  ägardravecs he'd already deigned to slay were just the start, a number of sustaining rottens still tearing at the lifestrings within his mate's veins. His wild is  _ roaring _ for the fresh slaughter.

Suddenly, unwarningly, those tears falter, the look on his mate's face shifting.

The flicked-switch is a bucket of icewater over his head, the dream of blood abruptly now a cooled fog, clinging and awarding a sense of dewwed respite no doubt a mislay, yet the tiguar will take whatever blessings the angel's may lay.

 

 

 

**Castiel**

 

Castiel cocks nir skull, making a show of nir inquest of the beastly sire for still a moment, then those cyanide eyes widen, lips part on a gasp of recognition as a slice of a memory replays in nir mind.

The red eyes.

The red fangs that tore out Zachariah's throat.

Killer.

Slaughterer.

_Savior_.

This sire before nem as he burst through the brush with a rage as he charged and ripped away the rotted from nir hollowed husk. Those ägardravec, _dead_.  Zachariah, Azazel, Uriel, Bartholomew, Christian. Ne recalls the immaculate hatred and fire that permeated those eyes – now pleading before nem – when he tore at their flesh, the last sight aborn witness before ne blacked out.

 

 

** Dean **

 

With the memory's recovery, a wave of relief washes over Castiel that bathes Dean in a lullabye-scent, nir body loosening ever so slightly. Ne continues heeding Dean with a survivalist's intent as the were shuffles closer, a lingering hesitance of nir reactions.

Upon reach of the pallet's edge, the sadəsikari has yet to cringe away, howbeit persisting his guard with far-reaching eyes, slight ware and full wards. The tiguar stands then and the human tracks the movement raptly, eyes refusing to flee Dean's. 

Subsequent some scarce seconds of staring, Dean acts upon a split-second decision, plopping down on the pallet's berm with a shy, tentative air. Afraid he'll startle his skittish mate back to base one.

The black-haired-sire tugs nir knees in tighter but no other reaction does Dean emit, blue eyes enduringly alert upon him.

“Hi,” Dean recites, murmuring soft, fishing for a response, but a nod is his only gain.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> * _allaita_ is gonna be synonymous with nurses in this story. :)


	8. Chapter 8

** Dean **

 

Dean stays beside the still skittish sadəsikari for hours, speaking lowly and hoping with each syllable that ne will respond. Only blue eyes wide with stale fear answer him, though. After hours, he still hasn't given up, even when the human has slumped pitifully into the haybed cot. Back welded to the den wall, body curved in a protective ball and eyes still trained upon him, the tiguar can see the battle between survival and sleep raging within his mate.

Words ebbing away in a trickling stream, Dean falls silent.

Emitting a subtle whistle into the bright emptiness, he awaits the comforting doe.

Ellen trods through the entry on soft feet, grace of her kind glowing through her every movement. 

But when Dean thinks that she'll take his place at the harmed's side she simply glances at the human, eyes calculating and simple before she leaves again. Leaving Dean confused and uncertain as he looks back to his mate – whose blue eyes are bleary, weary, and soft pink lips are parted. Bruises and cuts paint nir body. Each one conjuring a new seed of hate within the wild's gut.

“ _ What does it mean, sweetheart, when Wells says: I could have forgiven him a little even had his motive been hate. But he was so irresponsible, so utterly careless.” _

_ “Let he  be forgiven for hate, but not for irresponsibility.” Dean had replied to his mother as she poured over  _ The Island of Doctor Moreau _– the tomb ancient, pages splitting, Sam, listening from his nest, l ifted on chubby legs, a gummy smile as he listened to the tale._

The young were's mind replays the simple memory with no request and reminisce-scents ghost over his senses ere being restored anew with the whafts of _human_ , _mate_ and _fear_ in his here and now. Wells would not forgive him if he wronged to shield his mate anon, if he were careless and irresponsible, and neither would the tiguar, wild or  wise alike.

 

 

 

** Ellen **

 

Not ten feet from the den, Ellen guarded, awaiting her cue to return to the hurt human's view. At some point she stripped and morphed, curling as wild within the soft pelt of grass, dew a pleasant refresher in the warm spring sun. The alfalfa lopsy bounded into her side after only a few sunbeats and there they lay curled up together in rest.

Ellen knew that the young bun was feaful, known to the human, and – quite frankly – loving of nem.

She'd been informed of his intervention of the hunt, but it'd been in quick passing and full disclosure never attained. The forest elk was content to wait.

One crinose* at a time.

After what felt like forever, a whistle carries from the den wind, her head lifting with perked ears, perfectly still. Yet even in hesitation she knows it wasnt a wrongful sound. Morphing then and there she pets the jackdoe softly on the auriculae as she stands, wrestling her clothes smoothly back on in replace of hide.

A twist churns in her gut even in the crisp air, the day's pulchritudinous nature belying its lenient comeuppence upon the Garrison, as she takes serial steps forward, the twist then dispursing into her nervous system as a sense of wrong at entering the den and witnessing the mates apart within. The human near asleep and curled upon nemself while her son remains eleemosynarially apart from nem. She cannot understand the feeling ticking through her derma till, with a glance back to the outside, she espies little Alfalfa concerning her with ears perked and body quicked.

_Ah_. With an echoing glance at the mates, she revolves to the grassy plot. There gingerly cradling her petit son and bearing the bun away to where his human awaits. Sensitively, she sets him down near the sadəsikari, nir eyes finally shut in a lazy-long blink.

 

 

** Castiel **

 

Eyes in need of a reprise, ne blinks, but the gates to sleep are heavy, and ne must force them to part again. When finally apart, open, and ne enters again the awakened world, ne finds sweet beaded eyes and long lopsy blond ears and a twittering pink nose watching kindly just in front of nem. Eyes widening again, ne feels the fear that was like an undercurrent beneath nir skin slowly disipate. Trickling away like the last dwindling comets in an outburst.

Thinking nothing of it, ne loosens nir grip of nir knees and scoops the little love loopily into nir arms, nuzzling the fluffy bundle and sighing with relief.

There's nothing else in existence at that moment.

Only the warm muzzle of nir friend and the sudden reluctance of safe, as he succumbs to the black haven.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> * _crinose_ here is used like “hairy situation” because I want it to be used like that. Also, where did the saying “hairy situation” even come from?


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I like using (butchering) non-English words, if you guys haven't noticed.

** Dean  
**

 

Awestruck, the tiguar bears witness as his mate's scent remedies, content and happy with the introduction of the alfalfa scented were. Dean smiles whispery, admiring the soft sound of the sleep-breaths his human lets fall.

Turning to Ellen with a gracious look as gift, she replies with a sympathetic and kind one before, with a simple motion, coaxing him from the den. Following as an obedient son, the felid trails like a duckling, out into the dwindling light, finding many a kin awaiting them. 

Coalescing with the clowder out on the pasture, they encover the dew in furs and sinews.

A silence descends that none dares nor wants to blister.

Till someone, fatedly, does.

“What happened?” Little Kevin chances. Still just a kit curled upon his mama's shield.

“I told you – ” Gabriel darts, glancing 'round snatchily, nerves in his eyes. Dean infers the tod already recounted the day's happenings.

“No, no. I mean – ” Kevin respires, grasping a deep, calming breath, all this new and foreign and frightful. Mama Tran's tail curls protectively about her cub. “You weren't supposed to even be hunting in that area today.”

Dean starts. 

A detail of import, veritably forgotten.

Glancing ahind at the caveway, he recollects vaguely Samandriel's hurried implorations from the morn. Brow furrowing, the tiguar finds himself with no response.

And for a while it feels as if no one will return the whelp's words, till young Jess, Alfie's blood-kin intones her peace.

“Alfalfa, he . . .” She ceases, already, the words having fallen in lue of permission, aspect tentive, searching for the words she wants. “He's been fidgity, skittish. Forever my kin has been cuddly, but now _it's endless_. Needing touch and caress more so than a newborn. Always sleeping now at the side of another, sometimes awakening fearfully. He's been timerous for a fortnight, as if awaiting the impes of a monster lurking beneath his feet. This timerity grows the more away he is from The Garrison Compound. As if, whenever he goes again to his post he's reassured of the monster's whereabouts. Yet at the same time, after a scant second the fear is renewed with impetuous vigor. I thought it was that the Garrison was the monster, that when he went . . . he was reassured of their ignorance of our whereabouts, us, their prey, but now . . . I banish that theory. I contend, that the Garrison is the monster he fears, but . . . _we_ are not their prey whom he fears for.”

“The babe's the prey for whom he's been afrightened.”

Jessica allows a nod and Ellen nods back, a slower movement, cautious and appraising.

Dean's reeling. Rapiers extending, eyes harvesting as the shame in the jill's scent reaches his skin, ensconcing his tom in her fear and pulling up still more imaginings of what could have been of his feast. Ägardravec blood as wine, meat as meal, flesh tanned as coat, given as present to a shivering mate and shown as proof of the protection his alpha promises to give his omega. His sadəsikari. 

How many monsters continually lurk in the halls of the Garrison Compound?

How many more feasts await his jowls within their walls?

How many swipes of his blades, clamps of his jaw, flicks of his tail, and rampage of his glee, will it take for their numbers to dwindle to nil? For him to savor the spirit of each and all of them effusing 'way in his paws? Their warmth pooling at his feet under the weight of his grin as his mate awaits him cherished in their den, soft and sweet-scented and safeguarded from the rotten flesh he's torn and tearing, from their decimated seeds in their pipes and sacks strewn far part from their corpses, divested of their rotten members long before mortality overtook them. Their lumbers never again to touch the kind skin of his mate, never to enter into nir body in tresspass, their words to never bathe nem in their venom afresh.

“I believe a c atechise of the young leporine is in order.” Ellen murmurs as the tiguar passes a forlorn glance and sigh to the hospice.

“I can arrange that.” Jess answers, air whispy as she stands, human feet carrying mollily away the jillkit. “I'm nothing less than identical to young Alfalfa, after all, as a wildling. I doubt the poor sadə will verify if I am sire if ne so happens to awake. And, even if ne did . . .” Her voice carries amiably upon the wind's wings, a softness as it flowers over her shoulder while she shifts in the midst of a graceful stride. The den entrance verily eclipsing her as she takes a bounce within.

Dean hunts her form with nerves shot, leg caroming in angst upon the grass.

 

 

** Samandriel  
**

 

A _nuzzzzzzling_ to his nose has Alfie's ears flickering and oreilles opening to confront his mirrormask*. 

_ Why are you here,  _ _ doux _ _ ? _

_ To relieve you, kit. The nest requests your presence. _

Delicately, they exchange their parties, wriggling and muzzling at each other kindly while in the act. Rustling and rousing the languidous sadəsikari only enough for nem to grumble and clutch at the decoy, slumber heavy and cloying in nir scent as ne grasps her.

Alfie perches, observing his cousin being cossetted by the human as a twinge of guilt and betrayel rangles in his gut at the deception.

_Our kindred are waiting._ Jess murmurs, nose twitching.

With his littermate's reminder, he exits the antrum, hopping to the entry where with a shift in his step he emerges naked and wise, glancing back to the den every few footfalls, a wariness warring inside for leaving the sadəsikari even with a trusted soul.

Upon reaching the herd, Samandriel finds himself plopping down into the nearest alpha's lap. Benny is warm and engulfs him in his strong bear scent; calm as the stream and steady as the oak as he cradles him, paws massaging his back in gentle strokes.

And the herd is quiet as they await the lopsywere's revelations.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *doppleganger


	10. Chapter 10

** Dean **

 

“I am familiar with the sadə*.” Samandriel confesses eons later, cobwebs have formed over the tiguar's raptly wide eyes having watched for lifetimes, awaiting the true word of god. That's how he felt of Alfie in that moment. He's been entrapped in the bunny's scent and breath, every hitch and twinge of guilt and sadness a new proverb and commandment.

“Acquired in espialation?” Michael prods, the first words he's uttered in Dean doesn't know how long, because he doesn't know how long he's been reading the Testament of Alfalfa.

The deityspies the wolf.

And suddenly Dean is faced with the visage of a god he believes in.

Guilty and lost.

A sort of blank sadness befalls him and The Lord nods listlessly as he falls his head again. Tucked in Benny's chest, the god on the moon is eclipsed by the earthly bear. Together assembling Ursa Minor, perhaps, Arcas would be proud. Their gods and ancestors combine unashamedly in the were's praise.

“Any fathomations? What have you grasped, little doe?” Ellen sneaks into the service.

The kit's face scrunches, like he scents a thing foul. “I didn't always see nem. Sometimes ne would await at the grasspatch by the river, other times nir scent would be stale and I was incapable of tracking its path. When I _did_ see nem ne would cosset me, treat me as one would a beloved pet, which, perhaps, is what I was reaching for when I approached nem the first time . . . In the lion's share, ne would be called away by a näraleia*, yet, at intervals . . . one of the ägardravec would fetch nem.” He pauses. “Ne was _always_ scared of them.” The lopsywere opens his mouth to continue, but a realization flashes across his face, scratching a scrunch in his brow and throwing a thoughtful mask upon his countennance. “No. There was _one_ whom ne _didn't_ fear. One who was less aggressive, yet this ägardravec seemed – to me – to be the most . . . _Alpha_ -like. I witnessed that ägardravec only twice, once with the sadə and the second when he was treating a wound one of the näraleia had sustained. Furthermore, I do not smell him, not a trace, among the blood you shed, Decanus.”

The were mercifully ignores the use of his full name, if it were any other the tiguar would clamp his daggers 'round their throat. But even the _notion_ of causing his kin any harm turns bile in his gut, he'd never harm the leporine. He focuses on the blonde bun's words, then, and the hint of a protective ägardravec within the Garrison fold puts a seed of hope in the tiguar's chest, but it doesn't change the facts.

“Ne was afraid of them,” Ellen reiterates, a prompt.

“Ne would have bruises, or smell of seed, blood, nir scent would always shift to a . . . _guarded_ happy when ne would pet me. A guarded type of scent. I dawdled in nir company; I wanted nem to smile. Ne doesn't talk much about the cult. Mostly gibberish. Ne says biblical poems, but . . .” he gnaws his cheek. “They're not _Garrison_ biblical.” 

Many of the kin glance at one another at the unsure declaration.

“What do you mean, kit?” Benny murmurs, hands working magic on the bun's civility from what the tiguar witnesses. Nose turned, Alfie opens his mouth unsuredly.

 

 

** Samandriel **

 

“Ne said once, upon arrival with a fading bruised wrist and fresh broken lip . . . 'the Muses were right;

 

_ We know how to say many false things like true ones, _

_ But we know how to utter truths when we want to. _

 

They spoke and I see bible verses in their words' ne'd recalled to me, face upturned to the air and fingers caressing mine ears. I listened, and heard, yet I was incapable of asking for clarity while wild. Our sadə has never witnessed my civility . . . I'm unsure ne would recognize me if they did. ”

“Those words are foreign to me, but I believe their meaning is clear, shi?” Kevin speaks up again, looking from mother to aunt metronomically.

“None can tell their falsities from their verities.” 

The Spring is muted, pensive, engrossed are the ghostly wildlings as they allow Alfie's rendition to sink in. 

Those words were not a teaching of the Garrison, the gauntlet of detrimental theology, contorted and butchered from past bibles. A theology each and every wildling is familiar with, having stolen their holybook years ago so that they may know the word and recognize it and flee from it.

 

_ Cleave to His word, alive and virile, sharper than the double-edged  ** blade/sword ** , _

_ Spears abyssally even to the crossing anima and animal, marrow and seam; it judges the actions and the piety of the core. _

_ His words are true, _

_ And his word is law. _

 

Hebren 4:12

 

The Lord's word holds no room for rebuke, no argument, only command and obedience.

Those are the Garrison rule.

So from whence did the Muses verse come? 

And how did his human learn it?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *sadə is a familiar, friendly shortening of sadəsikari.


	11. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry it's not that long. I'm just bad at making these chapters long, apparently. :(

** Castiel **

 

Unravelling the onyx veil and hiking the chariots of sleep is a challenge that Castiel is unsure ne wishes to partake upon, yet as the nip begins to bite, the darkness lapping at nir skin like a spoilt pup whimpering for attention, ne cant ignore its dewwy tongue any longer. Eyelids heavy as sandsacks, their beaches rescind purposefully across the blue shoals till high tide is there again. Each blink is a sand-wave, searching for hold on another low tide, but coming away empty every time.

As the fog dissipates from nir aether and the water returns, the sadəsikari is faced with chilly night, brisk and aspring. And in nir arms a soft weight breathes easily, soft _in-out-in-out_ in rythmic content. A sleepy lopsy that catches nir attention in a lazy thing.

Ne squeezes slightly, wanting the bunny closer, but with the proximity comes an odd, uncomfortable, familiar feeling.

_Wrong._

Staring down into nir arms, ne looks interrogatively at the lopsy there afore costively releasing nir arms, the unwrapping of the appendages nodding the blond kit and inturn calling it to twist in its awakening so that it may face nem in retreat. Eyes attentive and nose atwitch.

Heedful to rally nir pulse and heart, lungs and breath into obedience, Castiel's eyes track the nester, never losing sight of xyr. Contorting into a squat, protecting nir chest with arms and knees afront, back against the denwall; a defensive stance – spitefullyignoring every sting and tug and warning the human's wounded body screams. 

Mind you, at this moment those warnings are being shouted in _every_ permutation.

Crouched as either a predator waiting to strike its prey or as a prey ready to bolt at the first strike, ne watches xem.

 

 

** Jess  
**

 

The were-bearer rouses when the stench of panic hits her, the sadəsikari's arms unwinding; pulling the jillkit into a twirl to chase their form.

The panic is silent. Only showing within nir scent. Yet still, _it's there_.

And when she looks at nem she finds something in nir expression that _shouldn't be there_.

But _is_.

There's knowledge.

Ne _knows_ that she's not her cousin. In a split-second of consciousness the human had known, unconditionally, that the small, harmless creature in nir arms was a stranger to nem and ne'd panicked. 

A split-second.

_That's impossible . . ._

 

 

** Dean  
**

 

The change in the air is sudden, a quickening _panic_ that has the tiguar's head lifting in a _snap!_ , nose twitching, eyes dilating, ears alert for any sound. But there's only _the scent_ to give away the sense of doom his mate feels; the confined scent of a rat in a maze scurrying by by by. 

Digging his claws into the dirt he forces, _commands_ himself to prorogue action. To roost where he is, on edge with dens elongating and body trembling in the aching need to _protectprotectprotect_.

Even from such a lopsidaisy enemy as the bearer-kit.

Yet, the last time the felid barraged into the denworld replays in his mind, the fear his barge had caused his mate was . . . _more_ than what he smelt now, more acidic and cloying and festering, and he forces himself to _halt_ at the memory.

With a frenetic glance at Samandriel, Dean finds the bunny scrambling to his feet in a race to reach the hospice.

The worry exuding from Samandriel quells his emotions slightly. Knowing little Alfie wants to protect nem too puts a stopper to the tiguar's urgency; only nanoly. 

_Protectprotectprotect_

Claret dribbles from his lip as his fangs snip through the slim skin.

 

 

** Samandriel  
**

 

How ne knew, the lopsysire was unsure, but ne _did_ _know_. 

The scent held every inch of information as it penetrated Alfie's mind and he shot to his feet at a scramble upon registration, dashing for the den where his broodmate had interchanged with him.

Ne could tell that Jess was a deceit.

It had been an instantaneous realization, Samandriel knew. Ne's scent went from slumbering to dawning to alarming in the matter of a moment.

_Too quickly_.

And as the kitsire shifts into the denway, he witnesses ne's eyes boring into the bearer with a soul-deep, simple perception alongside the suffocating dread.

Jess is bount a bump away from the sadəsikari, ears perked and nose atwitch in dubiety. If one could read shifter they'd descry her posture as: “what”, “why” et “how did ne know?”

Samandriel had no time for postulating before those eyes flickered to meet his.

 

 

** Castiel  
**

 

A scuffle and harried huff at the entry has Castiel's eyes flitting away from the intruder-bearer, flashing to nir ally awaiting in the 'way. 

A foolproof reflection of the stranger before nem. 

And Cas smiles slightly, relieved. “There you are,” Ne murmurs, a weight lifting from his chest, his lungs unburderdened suddenly, blissfully with the sight of nir companion. Ne can hear nir own voice and it's _so allayed_. “I knew, I _swore_ , I fell to sleep aside you, but . . .” Here ne peers at the unknown whom is so beautifully peaches and creams and impeccably the mirrormask of the buck, but with an undercurrent of _power_ and or confidence that he does not bear. 

“No off – ” There's something off about the word, as if the word ne is in want of is foreign to nir lips, and just as ne starts it ne then allows it to drop from nir lips, but ne cannot replace it, there is no replacement sufficient, and yet it is not sufficient because it should not be offensive in the least. Confused for a moment ne pauses, breath trailing off, but still he cannot escape it. The word is an intruder like the kit herself, but ne can feels that nir eyes have softened and ne hopes that the jill understands that ne truly does not mean to offend. “No off – _ense_ , yet still, you are not my familiar.” 

 

 

** Samandriel  
**

 

As the final word plops from the sadəsikari's lips the bunnysire bristles, feeling the similar reaction from his sister-cousin. 

Does ne know the significance of a familiar? 

Or is it simply a word to nem?

Yet as the kit is ruminating ever so briefly over the word-choice he realizes that it is actually a . . . _viable_ affirmation of their relationship.

_Familiars. Demon guides. Witches' guides. Animal guides._

The lopsy had been the reason for nir rescue and napping, had felt the need to redirect the hunt and guide it to nem. And by the definitions of the Garrison, all of them were demons.

But would that make the human a witch? Warlock? 

Samandriel lets his thoughts fall away, focusing instead on the scent of their guest. On the scent of _Dean's mate_. If he were in civil form he'd smile at the thought, instead now he flops forward, switching places again with his sweet cousin.

 

 

** Dean  
**

 

The trepidation and fear and blood of the sadə's scent has been pushed under just barely and the tiguar basks in it. Like a warm lake, the cold undertow a constant threat but on the surface so likened to open arms.

His mate's scent has lulled into a sweetness like new love. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *BTB I changed a sentence or two in the last paragraph of Dean's part in Chapter 9 and now Jess and Samandriel are literally identical twins in every sense except their sire, he even appears outwardly female as a bunny because he's an omega. His penis is incredibly small in both forms and their furs are identical, as are their eyes and sizes. The only way for someone to tell them apart as bunnies are their scents, which Castiel obviously cannot do. Jess and Samandriel are from the same litter, having the same mother, but are cousins as well as siblings. They're born from the same mother and birthing but different litters in one batch, their mother having conceived from both her mates in one heat. Her mates are a pair of Beta brothers and Alfie is the son of one mate while Jess is the daughter of the other and their scents give away their parentage.
> 
> **I told someone that Dean and Cas were gonna see each other in either this or next chapter I think and then I ended up changing that for a viable reason, you'll all understand and Dean won't return to the den till the chapter after that. Next chapter has "new" characters. *wink wink* :)


	12. Chapter 12

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, the writing style in this doesn't really match the other chapters because I have no patience for editing right now but I wanted to update and I will edit this and repost it later on down the road.
> 
> In the meantime . . . here's some Mary! (She's basically the point of this chapter)

** Dean **

 

The jillkit bustles out the den in fur, stalling only a moment afore shifting forward on lily feet. All surplus packmates have sufficed returned from their chores and hunts by the time Jess joins again the huddle. 

Dean's nose twitches at the catch of honey and jasmine, milk and _home_ , the scent twisting his head uphill from where it'd fallen in thought, he finds his mama on approach, followed closely by her mate. His papa's perpetually guarded, regarding his eldest son warily; veteranary. Dean's clashed – and won – him 'nough times for John to comprehend. His mama may have given him pardon, may have even forgiven him, but the tiguar hadn't. Percievably never will. Even if he loves his brothers more than anything, he'll never forgive his father for being unfaithful to his beautiful, kind, _strong_ omega jaguaress mother, the beta tiger's _truemate_ , with _that_ alpha lioness.

Truemate.

The word flits and flutters and smashes into his thoughts like a bee stuck on a windowsill, buzzing and so determined to break through the glass but stuck and not understanding, buzzing buzzing _buzzing_.

_Truematetruematetruematetruematetruematematematematemate_

And suddenly Dean's eyes are locked back on the healer's den.

And the need to be near nem, wrapped in his mate's scent and warmth and to mark, claim, assure nem that no one will ever hurt nem ever again was growing and growing and planting roots and soon the words are no longer a single bee trapped in the sill, but a hive buzzing buzzing rampant in his mind and his mate's scent is the only smoke that can calm them, nir presence that queen that commands them.

 

 

** Castiel **

 

The buckkit is before nem. Watching and waiting and assessing. Eyes black and beady but sweet and steady and mouth moving a mile a minute, chewing on a piece of grass or some green Castiel hadn't thought to pay attent.

Ne's allowed nir shoulders to droop, to relax as ne awaits his familiar to approach. Leaning more comfortably against the wall now, ne slips down it's silken rockface and back softly upon the cot. Face level with the bun's. Those eyes track the movement like target practice and Cas doesn't break the contract, watching back just as adamantally.

A hypnotism must befall nem then as suddenly the bun is in nir arms and the light outside is darker and ne's imagining red eyes slitting cruel throats and pining for the blood to run slicker, thicker, richer with cells. 

Imagining what may have happened after his passing. 

Did the rager kill them all?

Did he turn berserker and skin their heads? Take as prize the hair of the defeated to gain strength?

Or was ne the prize?

If ne were, why did ne suddenly feel safe with the leporine in his arms? Why wasn't the red-eyed savior there with nem?

What if ne was truly safe?

Those blue eyes closed again, lids carried over the river by the boatmaster Charon, but Castiel stayed on the shore. Allowed nir familiar to become Cerberus at the gate for just a night to keep nem out of where ne for now cannot enter. Ne allowed nir lips to curve like the rivers, up and overflowing with thanks. 

 

** Dean **

 

Mary sat beside her son, taking a partially shifted paw into her own and petting his fur in attempt to soothe. The tiguar hadn't even noticed his shifted pieces, but now, brought to his attention are fangs, claws, fur in places with quantities no human would have unless abnormal and in colors they most certainly didnt have either. He can feel his eyes catty and cold and searching for prey, blood frenzied and dilated and he breathes in deep, trying to calm his instincts screaming at him to hunt and to kill, to protect and hide his mate in a cave a million forests and moutainsides away. But he cannot do that because those same instincts are telling him he needs to bring his kill home, show his mate that he can protect nem, present nem with the heads of his rotten kin piked on a spear, their blood still smeared on his hands, his mouth where he'd bitten their flesh clean off, torn their heads off before mounting them for all to view. He wants this, he wants to, _needs_ to steal the breath of every piece of shit angel that ever laid their hands upon his mate.

With a squeeze of his hand, his queen mother pulls him from his mullings.

Attentions turning, he looks up at her, finding her so much taller than when she sat down beside him. 

He's shifted.

Fully.

That hasn't happened in a long time.

And it's all such a civil thought that he can feel himself coming back around slowly, going from instinct and wild back to civil and wise but still looking up in wonder at his mother goddess. She always was his goddess, the only one he ever believed in. She was always his angel too, but he suspects now that that may be changing.

When he thinks of angels now, looking upon his deitiful mama, he pictures his mate.

If his mother is a goddess, and Alfalfa a god, then his mate is the angel of all things. And he is that angel's guardian, protector. He takes up the mantel proudly, happily, wantingly, like a worshipper in church. But this theology is love and nothing else. 

With deities like Mary and Samandriel, what else would it be?

And when Mary whispers, “oh kitten, your mate needs you.” Even wild, he feels the love inside him spike, head in her lap, he purrs, allowing her to pet and scratch at his ears as with all his other senses he keeps his mate . . . name still unknown to him, in his sphere of existent at all times.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Dean hates John. That'll be explored. ;) But he still loves his brothers (and mother, and now Castiel) more than anything.


	13. Chapter 13

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I accidentally put up ch 14 before ch 13.
> 
> This is not very edited.

**Jess**

 

“That's impossible, carrot.”

“I think you mean that's _humanly_ impossible.”

“Verité, verité.” Mary murmurs, fingers still kneading soothingly in her son's ears, massaging him back to civility. Though it seems to be doing no good. The tiguar's ears twitch attentively as he listens to all et every sound and word around, ears intent even upon the silence within the hospice where her brother and the felid's unclaimed mate await.

A thought enters her mind then, she'd just finished recounting how the human had known instantly that she was not her cousinkin, how ne'd silently panicked, retreated. From nir scent she could tell ne didn't find her dangerous but that any stranger – human or else – was an enemy. Guilty before proven innocent. The thought that enters her mind now is _would ne react that way to the tiguar? Or would ne feel his love and devotion instead of her sympathy and subtle indifference?_

“Dean should go to nem as he is,” the lopsyjill speaks before she can halt her words. They are out in the open now, and their meaning makes the tom lift his pale orange head and pin her with those impossible green eyes.

“Wild?”

“Yes.”

 

 

** Dean **

 

Dean is wild, but not completely lost. He understands everything happening and he understands Jess' words and he understands that his mama is trying to coax him back to civility but he also understands that his mate is in a den _too far away_ from him and that he need to be by nir side _now_.

Uncaring if the others agree with Jess and her idea, the tiguar gets up on his four paws, out of his mama's soft touch and her warning words and calling whines, somewhere in his mind understanding that she was calling him back both in wild and civil terms, but he continued forward, up and to the entry where his mate's scent is spilling from.

Paw after paw he trudged in the cold grass till he reached the colder dust floor, entering on soft pads till he stood only a few feet in front of the human and his cuddled bunny.

Little Samandriel's nose twitches in his sleep, and there's no doubt that he too is asleep in the alpha's mate's arms. His nose twitches, and his eyes open, and his head flits up, and his ears elongate straight above his head, tall and alert as he takes in the other wild's presence.

The tiguar is paused, blinking slow and steady as he takes in the sight of his mate. He weighs his options before simply lowering to the ground, laying down flat on his belly, eyes locked on his mate as he calmly placed his head on his paws.

Waiting . . . waiting. _Guarding_.

_Protectprotectprotect_. 

 

 

** Castiel **

 

Eyes opening in a lazy motion, the recouperating sadəsikari blinks slowfire. Waking from nir dreamless slumber ne weighs the warmth in nir arms, remembering hazily falling to sleep with nir familiar against nem.

A prickle slithering cross nir skin, ne raises nir head slightly, feeling a presence not their own. Eyes travelling over nir shoulder, ne peaks an array of colors. Orange and gold and black and fuzzy. Squinting way sleep and down ne focuses nir pupils upon the colors, rearranging them and making sense of them till a frightening sight meets nem.

Body tense, eyes wide, ne cannot take his gaze away from the threat that doesn't _feel_ like a threat.

But what else could the giant animal be _but_ a threat?

The creature's head is arest upon its paws, tail flickering behind it lazily as it occupies the den-mouth, breathing slow and steady as it's pelt moves up down up down in slow rhythm.

Castiel is unsure how long ne stares at the beast, but after a while, the human's breathing deep and eyes locked on the sight, its ear twitches. Just one at first. A huge flick, then stillness. Then both of those orange ears flicker _towards_ nem. Training on nem.

Then so slowly those great eyes open in one fluid swoop of lid.

Pinning the sadəsikari with the weight of a million emeralds.


	14. Chapter 14

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know that these are still REALLY short chapters, but I can't seem to make them longer without losing my sanity. I'm very sorry.
> 
> P.S. This isn't fully edited.  
> P.P.S. Enjoy big kitten!dean

** Dean  
**

 

The tiguar's eyes open determinedly, ears perked to the sound of too heavy breathing. Not the sound of sleep nor the sound of a rabbit's air, the sound of a human's fear.

And when his eyes open he is gifted with those beautiful blues he'd glimpsed and been presented with too little since finding nem.

Wide and inviting his mate's blue eyes stare at him, a blanket of awe beneath the surface of fear. Watching with rapt attention and holding tight the leporine in his arms, Dean looks back and forth between the two shoftly before lifting up onto all four paws. Making eye contact with the sadə, the tiguar takes a few steps forward, listening to the heightening breaths and smelling the spiking fear of the human before dropping back onto his haunches and ankles just in front of his mate. Tail swishing in happiness, the wild scoots forward with head and body low and trailing on the dust floor, creeping onto the matt where his human lays.

The kit has awakened now, at the scent of his pack kin so close, and is watching the feline closely too.

Face stopping just in front of those arms wrapped tight around his bun-kin, Dean doesn't let his eyes leave those beautiful blues.

With a swallow of trepidation, the human chances a movement of limbs.

With great effort the cat holds still. At the lack of reaction the human holds up his hand in a fearful show of trust.

Dean stares at it for a long time before surging forward.

 

** Castiel  
**

 

Castiel almost screams when the tiguar's head rushes forward, but before ne can do anything that snout has touched nir palm and suddenly it's like the massive predator is an oversized housecat in a field of catnip. 

That huge head nuzzles shamelessly against nir hand, eyes closed and a rumbling, deafening  _ purrrr! _ booming from its massive body and throat as it wiggles and swishes its tail and rolls onto its back and the entire time continuing closer to nuzzle against every part of the sadəsikari's body; chest, arms, neck.

Nir familiar bounds out of nir arms, but doesn't leave the cave. Going far enough away to watch but not be squashed by the large animal.

And before ne knows what's happening that large body is layed across nem, a paw on either side of nir head and that great head rubbing and nuzzling nir entire face, fur and whiskers tickling till ne's laughing reluctantly. The fact that ne's being hugged by a tiguar is overshadowed by the adorableness of its actions at all. Eyes closed, the great beast looks like it's in heaven as it loves all over nem.

When that great purple tongue licks nir cheek ne laughs outloud before it turns into an involuntary giggle. In response, the gigantic kitten repeats the action.

And before ne knows what's happening, ne's curled round by the tiguar, being groomed like a precious kit or friend and wrapped in warmth and a lullaby of purrs.

More content even than when ne had nir familiar in nir arms, which ne soon is again, hopping up to join them once the cat's tail has wrapped securely round Castiel's body, keeping nem close with paws and chin. 

Ne's no longer afraid.

 


	15. Chapter 15

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> apparently already written

** Dean **

 

The tiguar is rhapsodic in the knowledge that Samandriel and his mate are the only one's who bore witness to his downward spiral into devoted house kitten the night before.

Sammy and Adam would never let him live it down, but Alfie would.

Although, thinking about it while he watches his sadə sleeping in his arms, he's unsure if he'll be able to stop himself from ever doing that again.

And the next time . . . it'll be in public, he's sure of it.

His mate, still unnamed, stirs, snuffling and burrowing deeper into the feline's thick fur, pulling a deep and satisfied _purr_ from his gut.

The reverberations cause a small gasp and sigh to fall from those broken lips, those hands fisting into his hairs and tugging. The action not unlike clutching a blanket close for safety.

Dean holds in a growl as a cut on his mate's lip reopens, a bead of blood swelling. 

Barbed tongue flicking out, he catches the red life before it can dribble down nir skin. 

On his mate's other side the bunnywere stirs, head popping up to watch the larger were's actions with twitching nose and ears. Scenting and listening. The feline keeps eye contact with the leporine obediently, allowing the kit his reassurance.

Alfie bounds up softly to settle snugly onto the human's chest, face-to-face with the hybrid.

Dean allows it all.

Tail wrapped possessively around his mate's waist, he tightens it at the sound of footsteps outside the entry.

A pair of deep black eyes peer round the entry bend then. Ellen checking in. Dean doesn't react, showing the doe that she has his permission to enter. Behind her the dawn light is turning warm, becoming midday earlier than he anticipated.

They'd slept longer than he'd intended.

The doe enters on soft, forest-lived feet, head down in respect to the protective alpha.

Coming into contact with them, Ellen sniffs softly, snuffling 'round them in inspection.

Meeting Dean's eyes, she implores him to let up his grip. He does begrudgingly, but at the relieved sigh from his mate he relents that Ellen knows best.

When Ellen's nose moves to snuff at his mate's gut, the sadə startles, gasping as nir eyes open and ne shoots up with fear, spooking Ellen back a hop.

Nir breathing's heavy as ne stares at the doewere, calming with every beat of nir heart as ne takes in the sight.

“Hello,” Ne murmurs. Dean puts his nose against the small of nir back on instinct, purring in a soothing manner. The sadəsikari chokes at the action, but nir eyes close in satisfaction all the same, blocking out another few hours in darkness as the tiguar guards.

 

 

** Samandriel **

 

Seven sundowns.

_Seven sundowns and still my human slumbers._

Dean won't leave nem alone, he warms nem with nir striped coat and hunter's heat. The lopsy allowing the felidae sanctuary beside their mate in exchange for company. Companionship.

The tiguar bathes the bun's fur and purrs him asleep.

His yawning maw, a cavern large enough to hold hi m thrice and thrice, f rightening if in a chase, is lack and tired in this place.

The leporine nibble his ears and watches his tail flicker.

Watch their human's eyes twitch, limbs stretch, spread, curl, burrow.

Sustenance is imperative.

Ellen helps them with that, fore the two of them prove useless in the face of a comatic human.

Ne sleeps through dressings, feedings, bathings, screamings and tears.

The lopsy waits patiently with his human's mate.

Ne sleeps on and on.

 

 

** Castiel **

 

Worded dreams, fairytales, play picturesque in the human's logging mind. Tales of knights and dragons and witches forbidden to thee by the high counsel, yet found by a child learnt to hide. Telling for ages and ages till one tale has the audacity to wake nem with reminders of wakefullness.

 

_. . . and it is I, Raksha [The Demon], who answers. The man’s cub is mine, Lungri – mine to me! He shall not be killed. He shall live to run with the Pack and to hunt with the Pack; and in the end, look you, hunter of little naked cubs–frog-eater– fish-killer–he shall hunt thee!_

 

So the man's cub awakes with a growl and a tightening of limbs.

Wrapped 'round fur and skin and _warm_.

Lids flimsy, they quiver and quail and open as slick as silk. Allowing light to flood, lingering fairies to skittle, and images to fashion.

Hills of ebony stripes on fields of sunset cotton a re a welcome as shiver inducing, blistering breezes upon their neck are a comfort as they reign in the world.

Curled upon a hind is nir lopsy; a twist of cream in the pumpkin spice.

An all too-human  _ purr  _ creeps up nir vocals, comes out as nothing less than a blissed  _ mmmm _ .

The sound punches a deep, heavy inhale from the bedding.

Then a wet-sweet cold is pressing into nir neck, snuffling and scenting and body steady  _ in-out-in-out  _ deep and wild. Wanton.

Obsidian orbs warm like the lava they once were.

Black, but once burning and enflamed and magmic.

_Red_.

 

 


	16. Chapter 16

**Dean**

 

His mate's eyes flicker and nir limbs twitch; at first the feline thinks nothing of it, but then flickering turns to lifting and skin makes way for retina and _blue_.

 

**Castiel**

 

The tiguar's eyes and fur and hide slam home the notion of _real_. Fight away the possibility of figment and forget, of _not real_ and _didn't kill_.

And Castiel is staring into wild eyes with sentient souls and breathing ragged.

Curled up and protected by one warned of devouring young sadəsikari who dare stray, the little human can conjure no fear in nir bones as they gaze into orbs as large as fists with stripes as long as arms and thick as wrists. Ears perched aside round and plump and _wriggling_.

The sight of _that_.

Of squirming ears on the fierce forest hunter bully a giggle out of nem.

Panicked and quick but laced with relief; with the knowledge of _alive_ and _safe_ settling into nir bones.

And then there's a nuzzle upon nir jaw and a rustle between their bodies.

Eyes drawn to the movement and caress, cream fur obscures nir vision as the little lopsy demands heed. Notice of them blurts a whine from the bewildered mortal, body coiling round the lilliputian beast as if ne could absorb them and carry them always within nir breast.

_If a rabbit's foot is lucky, what about the corse?_

 

**Dean**

 

The sight of his mate curled tight and protective 'round his packbrother brings a contented _purr_ too the felidae's chest; the sound backfiring only briefly, jerking his frighted sadə's eyes up and upon him, round and wide and blue trained intent to his being, traveling and searching and _inspecting_.

Expecting him to turn and bite.

To wheel on nem like prey.

It may be true that the wild are neutral beings, neither good nor bad, simply of nature, of instinct; it is the wise that ne should fear.

And Dean is not wise.

After a moment, the human's eyes soften, hands petting nir pet and eyes travelling longingly down Dean's body. Trailing down his stripes and thick fur, watching his tail swish and flick with a lazy drawl; eyes wanton and uncertain.

The tiguar doesn't hesitate to roll, baring his belly in a sign of trust and submission.

He catches a glimpse of his packmate kit eyeing him in surprise, but brushes it off, knowing full well what he's doing.

The awe in his mate's eyes is enough.

And when ne finally reach forward and cards fingers through his fur his _purr_ is long and loud.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I _tried_.


	17. Chapter 17

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ENJOY!

** Samandriel **

 

Eventually, the scents of pack and littermate grow closer as the rustle of fur grows louder. With a glance at the mouth, the young bunnywere confirms his suspicions.

In the entry crowd an array of yellows and greens and reds alight.

Eyes; wild and curious.

His human doesn't notice their presence, and he breathes easy in the knowledge.

For a moment.

 

** Dean **

 

There's a murmur 'round the bend. The tiguar's ear twitches in recognition of Lucifer's voice: “He's a frightened little lamb,” the blond haired ägardravec murmurs, voice unusually soft, with a glance the feline finds the wolf's muzzle nuzzed into the neck of a smaller sire.

Above him, the sadəsikari swallows; a dry thing that bobs nir throat and trickles sweat 'cross nir brow. They've obviously noticed their onwatchers.

The alpha feels the urge to growl bubble up his throat, but forces it down.

_Can't frighten mate_

But they're already frightened.

His tail flicks in irritation at his packmates, hackles rising as his human huddles further into his side. Trying desperately to hide from the other shifters' eyes.

 

** Castiel **

 

Nir lopsy sneezes in nir arms, an annoyed sound that wants a smile to escape the human. Ne reels it in like water from a well.

The eyes at the cave opening are trained on nir skin, watching nir movements and speculating on nir _everything_.

They can't help it when they're body contracts, when they hunch over and furrow deeper into the war fur beneath nem. For some reason, the predator in nir bed feels more safe then the animals at the entrance; even though some of said animals are no doubt harmless.

The rabbit nir'd rejected as well as a doe are the two at the front of the herd.

It is their eyes that unnerves nem.

They look sentient.

The sadəsikari glances down, noticing a tensing of the feline's features, and watches them watch their intruders.

They're unamused. 

Ne wonders briefly if their reaction is to the sight of prey, but something makes nem throw away that notion.

A great paw wraps around nir waist.

An anchor as more animals huddle in the entrance.

Castiel's eyes widen at the sight of all of them.

_So many different kinds._

 

** Mary **

 

She wants to give her cub space, but what mother doesn't wish to meet her cub's chosen? The jaguar queen crowds alongside the buck and hind, looking around the stone bend, she sees her son's temper rising. 

With a low purr, she slinks around her packmates.

She can smell the spike in the human's fear, but she keeps her feet moving one foot in front of the other till she reaches her son's back.  
A son who's trying very hard not to growl at his mama.

Opening her mouth, mama cat gives a great yawn and stretches out her paws and hinds before settling down comfortably behind her tiguar's pelt, letting her head drape over his waist. She can feel the sadəsikari's eyes boring into her, but she pretends they aren't there.

They give them space to come to her.

 

** Samandriel **

 

Samandriel _chuff!_ s at Mama Mary's antics, watching as his human's emotions swirl from scared to fascinated to confused and back again.

Ellen's soft snorts of disapproval can be heard from the entry.

But the little buck doesn't have time for them, his attention's all for the healing human.

He watches as ne takes in the sight of the jaguaress making herself comfortable in their huddle, watches as ne twitches to touch, to see if their intruder is friendly and welcoming as well. Watches nir internal battle with both angst and hope in the bunny's gut.

 

** Dean **

 

Dean would bite his mother's hide if it wouldn't terrify his mate.

He'll not chance the human seeing him as a monster.

For all he knows he already does after the massacre he committed in the woods. However, the alpha will never feel guilty for that.

But now, now he feels guilty because it's his strong jaguar mother that's frightening his human.

He watches his human's eyes, nir skin, the rabbit in nir lap.

So he sighs in relief when he sees the moment ne decides to be brave.

Then sends happy and grateful thoughts to his mother as the sadəsikari's arm reaches out, tentatively, to pet at their spotted head.

 

** Castiel **

 

When the large, muscular feline weaves its way inside Castiel feels like nir chest will explode. Its rosettas dance as it creeps forward, gait steady and eyes downcast, glancing up every so often as if to gauge nir reaction.

Ne's stock still with terror as ne stares at the creature.

The tiger at nir side was scary enough, but this creature is _larger_ , taller where the tiger is broader, and somehow more terrifying and yet more beautiful for it. The tiger feels like _safe_ now but this jaguar is new, there is no comforting feeling, even if ne feels no aggression nor threat from the creature.

It's when the beast stretches and lays itself down that Castiel's fear begins to dismount.

It's replaced by confusion and a sort of anxious yearning.

Their rose-like spots calls to the human like ripples in a stream, and ne wants to trace nir fingers along the blackened fur.

Ne hands twitches with the sudden yearning.

Nir mouth twists in indecision; confusion still nir dominant emotion.

But then the jaguar _purr!_ s.

The sound is soft and kind and at its beginning nir tiger's tail curls, swishing over the jaguar's nose in a lazy fashion. When the flicks bring out no reaction from the newcomer Castiel's nerves solidify, and ne reaches out a hand.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't know why XD


	18. Chapter 18

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Finally

** Dean **

 

Four days. It takes four days. And Dean has been counting the ticks and the tocks till his mate is well enough to leave the cave.

His mother's presence has actually helped.

Being reassured that more than one large predator in the camp won't bite off nir head has helped reassure the human that they are more than simply friendly faced felines.

Dean likes to think it's mostly his presence that's quelled the fear in his mate's raging stomach, but he's not that ignorant. Alfie's small, undemanding and innocent presence every moment of every day has been a huge kindness.

It's on the fourth day that Ellen comes to collect them from the nest.

They want to integrate the still reluctant human into the pack.

Maybe, if nir gets comfortable with everyone . . . maybe they'll speak to a human.

Four days and the tiguar's mate has become cuddly with them, has let Dean scent him and rest his chin up on nir shoulder and wrap his paws around their bruised waist and _nuzzle_ his nose into nir hip like their scent could get the feline drunk; but every time Ellen would try to enter in bare skin, the human would clamp up.

Comfortable in the wild, afraid of the wise.

That's all they've been able to ascertain.

Hopefully they can get nem to speak to them as humans; otherwise they can't ask nem questions.

 

** Castiel **

 

The tiger-something-hybrid is _purr!_ ing against nir side when the doe appears in the entry. Its black eyes are soul-searching and Castiel almost pulls in to nemself under the discretion. But ne hasn't seen another human in almost two days; and it's a bit . . . comforting.

Ne's coddling their bunny when the doe steps closer.

Nir's voice is flowing, muttering nothings into their sweet fur when the doe's nose caresses nir arm, asking for the sadəsikari's attention, which ne gives wholeheartedly. Giving the deer direct eye-contact, Castiel watches as it tilts its head towards the opening. As if saying: “You should go outside”

The insinuation makes Castiel's throat click, nir arms tighten.

But the nudge of a thick black nose against nir side has nem loosening, like a string's been cut and they've been let loose to dangle.

It doesn't erase the fear from nir throat, but it eases it slightly.

And, without thought, the human begins to disentangle nir legs from the pile, lifting up on wobbly knees but keeping hands on fur for balance. Ne nods at the doe shakily, allowing them lead nem out into the light.

 

** Samandriel **

 

_This is it. Please let everyone be on their best behaviour._ The little leporine begs, eyes roaming frantically to his companions. Dean's eyes are alight, his human self very close to the surface as he regards his mate. Standing and very close to following Ellen out the cave-mouth. 

Though still very hesitant.

Alfie's proud of nem, though.

And it looks like Mary is too. 

But still, the tiguaress gives the human a soft nudge to get him moving, pushing nem just _that much_ closer to the awaiting doe. She follows her nudge with a loving nuzzle just as her son takes his stand.

The bunny-were sighs, nose twitching, tickling the skin upon which it's pressed.

The sadəsikari's hand reaches up, scratching at his ears as ne takes nir first steps towards the entrance.

Then another. And another. 

Then suddenly there's sunlight on Alfie's fur and he hears a sharp intake of breath.

 

** Castiel **

 

Castiel's never seen such an assortment of animals all bundled together in one place.

Ne's never even imagined such a sight.

Nir eyes roam over each and every body, taking them in one at a time.

Bear, wolf, fox, rabbit, deer, frog, platypus, badger, ferret, and more.

Ne's throat is suddenly dry, bobbing and clicking in a thick swallow.

Ne's feet act on their own, taking a step back, intending to retreat back into the cave where ne'd been safe for four days. That's four days longer than ne's been safe in years. Since ne'd been taken to the Garrison Compound.

It's been nice.

Now, it's terrifying.

 

** Dean **

 

His mate is terrified. Dean can smell it and it puts his fur on end, his scruff popping up like he's been shocked. He can hear nir heartbeat speeding up and nir throat clicking and Alfie shuffling in nir arms. But his mother is there and prompts him to nuzzle their legs.

So he does.

He bumps his nose against his mate's thigh and hip.

It sends a shiver up the human and Dean responds with a rumble in his throat, continuing his ministrations on the healing skin, just a little pressure, not enough to hurt. Never enough to hurt.

His human starts to relax, but movement in the crowd destroys all his hard work, making his mate tense up again, nir fingers spearing through his fur and tugging for comfort.

The tiguar _purr!_ s with endless determination.

From the corner of the feline's eye he tries to spy who scared his mate.

It's not hard to figure out; Gabriel's fox stands proud before the group, eyes watching the newly emerged human raptly, head tilted and so _intent_. But Gabriel's small, doesn't look like much of a threat. His mates, however, _are_ visible threats. 

And the two wolves are flanking the fox with ears perked and eyes on set the sadəsikari.

Unfortunately, humans can't always read animal expressions, so whereas Dean knows his packmates are only being welcoming and curious, his mate thinks they're being threatening.

The tiguar huffs a breath. 

_This is gonna take some time._

 

** Gabriel **

 

The fox sighed with heavy relief when the human he'd carried back to camp emerged from the cave. _Finally_. He'd been worried sick for days. Michael and Lucifer had groomed him endlessly to try and calm him down. They hadn't left his side at all, either. And he hadn't gone too far from the cave either, always keeping the entrance in his sights.

He can see that the sadəsikari is scared when he steps forward, but he thinks it's more of his mates than of him.

So the fox flicks his tail at his wolves, telling them to _back off_.

So they stay back a few paces, keeping their distance as he steps forward.

Thankfully, as Dean nuzzles the human's legs, ne stays still, watching him with wide eyes as he steps forward. Forward. Forward. Till he can press his nose against the human's knees and nuzzle alongside Dean.

Tho his approach had frightened the human, his treatment has his tense body loosening.

If Gabriel were in his human form he'd smirk.

He knew being cute and cuddly and sweet would be the answer to making the human feel at home.

The vulpine  takes a deep breath and feels a great  solace at the absence of bloodscent.

That smell had been haunting him for days.

With another deep sigh, Gabriel sits down, curling his body to sleep at the human's feet like a faithful pet.

 

** Castiel **

 

Castiel's head's spinning.

First the big cats curled up with nem, and now a fox is twirled at nir feet. Ne's eyes are trained on the canine as it makes itself comfortable.

Very carefully, the human kneels down, bracketting the furry red creatures with nir legs as they juggle the rabbit still situated in nir arms. Eventually, ne manages to sit, putting the bunny in nir lap as the fox snuggles up closer to nem.

Behind the sadəsikari, the big cats lay down again, encircling nem in an envelope of warmth.

Ne's fascinated by the new creature as they let their hand trail through it's fur, hearing it make a sound similar to a  _ purr! _ but not quite. 

Peripherally, ne notices more movement, and when ne raises nir head, ne finds nemself surrounded.

By animals of all sizes and all colors.

And at first, ne's terrified, ne's breathing picks up and ne's chest tightens.

But then each and every creature seems to lower themselves to the ground.

And the human finds nemself smothered in a caccoon of living skin.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I tried


	19. Chapter 19

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this story always takes so long to update

** Dean **

 

It's been a week since Dean's mate's been integrated into the pride. 

However, they've made sure to keep to their wild sides while in nir presence.

The sadəsikari's been basking in attention since the moment they stepped outside the cave, cuddling and bathing and feeding alongside rabbits and foxes and deers and bears at first reluctantly and then with relish. 

And the tiguar's been at nir right side the entire time. 

His mate's spoken quite a few times, but in their wild forms they cannot ask nem their important questions, but they've been taking it slow.

Now, Ellen trots up to the snoozing tiguar and his mate on steady feet, eyes wise and head held low in deference.

She nudges the human kindly, but pushes forcefully at the feline.

When that doesn't get a rouse, she nips at the large predators ear, jerking him to attention. She cocks her head, then walks away, looking over her shoulder a few times.

“I think it wants you to follow,” his mate's voice whispers, lifting off of his side so he can wiggling free and follow. With a huff and a lick to their cheek, the tiguar obeys, following after the doe and into the forest's cover.

There he finds Ellen in her human skin, standing just deep enough for her to go unseen by their human visitor.

Dean shifts.

And the doe doesn't waste a moment. “We need to integrate nem with our wises,”

Dean groans, having been dreading this. 

His mate's been doing better, has been happy, but at the beginning ne'd seen one of their own out and about in their human skin and had panicked, so everyone'd been extra careful since. Sometimes, when there's a rustling or unknown sound, the sadəsikari's become skitterish and their scent's soured and they've all been very careful to avoid that.

But unfortunately, Ellen's always right.

Ne needs to be introduced eventually.

And the sooner the better, in case The Garrison comes sniffing around.

They need to know more about The Garrison, and his mate's their best chance.

Plus, the feline desperately wishes to know his mate's name.

 

* * *

** Castiel **

 

The sadəsikari's sitting with nir bunny in nir lap, awaiting their large feline friend's return, when a sound in the trees catches nir ears.

Eyes jerking up on reflex, ne thinks it'll just be one of the pack.

And is shocked to find a vaguely familiar human bearer with warm brown hair and tanned skin coming forward.

The human jumps up so fast ne feels woozy, but that doesn't stop them from backing up from the incoming bearer. Every muscle tight and bound.

When they get about eight feet away the bearer plops down in the grass and begins plucking at the blades peacefully.

Castiel watches them hesitantly, waiting for them to make their move.

But nothing happens. 

They just keep plucking blade after blade and braiding them together.

From the treeline behind them another sound rustles and Castiel's head jerks up at the sound, expecting another intruder. But it's simply nir tiguar returning. Padding slow and steady towards nem. Passing the bearer with a long, full-body brush before reaching the paralyzed human.

The large tiguar wraps their tail around the human's waist, bringing them down to the ground with them. Once situated, the large feline curls 'round the human protctively. Keeping keen eyes on the human intruder. Castiel doesn't take their eyes from the bearer either, but allows them closer, feeling safe with their protector.

 

* * *

** Ellen **

 

Ellen stops a few feet away from the human and tiguar. Making sure not to spook the sadəsikari too badly. At their side is Alfie, nose twitching and watching the situation with curious eyes.

Ellen lets the human get used to her presence.

Lets nem nuzzle into Dean's side and take comfort in their warmth and breath.

She lets this go on for a good hour before she speaks. 

“My name is Ellen,” The human's head jerks up, staring at her with wide eyes. By that look, Ellen could swear the human'd almost all but forgotten about her presence. “What's your's, little one?”

They don't answer. Just stares. 

Face burried in the tiguar's side, the only part visible is their eyes.

Samandriel's in their lap.

“Little one?” Ellen prompts. But the human doesn't answer.

That's how it goes for the next few hours, till dusk begins to settle. At that time, with a defeated smile, Ellen gives up for the day. “Alright, sweetheart. I'll ask again next time. Goodnight.” And departs.

 

* * *

** Castiel **

 

The bearer leaves as the sun starts to set.

Castiel's honestly confused about them.

All they'd ask the entire day was nir name.

It isn't till they're out of sight that they sigh and relax completely into their tiguar's pelt. Their hand nestled on their bunny's coat.

After a moment of silence, they actually answer. Their voice only loud enough for their animals to hear. “My name is Castiel.”

 

* * *

** Samandriel **

 

Their ears twitch as _Castiel_ finally answers. His nose twitches in sync. If he was wise his brows would furrow and he would frown in confusion.

_Why not answer when Ellen was here?_

But Samandriel shrugs off the question with a simple answer; _Because they were scared._

 

* * *

** Dean **

 

The tiguar's body tightens protectively 'round their mate's body, which is quickly falling to sleep after nir declaration. 

After finally hearing their name, they feel like they've been given a gift. 

_Castiel_.

Alfie and he will have to inform the others.

Perhaps, while Castiel is still scared, Ellen will ask nem questions and they'll answer to Dean and Samandriel.

It's not the best solution, but it's doable.

And as the three of them nestle in for sleep, it's the only solution Dean can come up with.

 

* * *

** Ellen **

 

Castiel is merely human. Ne doesn't have very strong senses, so it was easy for her to hide in the treeline and listen in.

It was also easy for Gabriel, who's at her side.

Hiding easily in the shadows with eager eyes.

“Well, go on,” she prompts.

With a little _yip!_ the vulpes sprints forward to join the drowzing feline and leporine. The cervidae chuckles, wondering how the hominidae will react in the morning when they notice their newest companion.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I TRIED


	20. NOT A CHAPTER

So I was gonna finish this up all in one go right and I still am but I thought I could get it done this week because I sketched out the last like 3 chapters **months ago** and just needed to do the middle chapters which are always the most evil to write but so I went searching for the final pieces and I CANNOT FIND THEM and im so pissed at myself *CRIES* but I'm gonna get there. I think i may have actually written it by hand *GASPS AND CRIES SOME MORE BECAUSE NOW I HAVE TO SEARCH THROUGH MY PILES OF PAPERS* *i need a better organization system like sincerely*

also I realized that I hated making this into chapters because it was weird so the next update will be ALL of the rest of it. XD I have like ten pages sketched out already (not including the missing pieces) so it'll be substantial 

Thank you all so much for your patience <3

**Author's Note:**

> Come talk to me on [Tumblr](http://pinupcastiel.tumblr.com/) :)
> 
> *Not beta-read.


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